Farmer owned cooperative Alliance Group has marked its 75th anniversary with a disappointing pre tax loss of $97.9 million for the year ending 30 September 2023 (FY2022 profit $116.3m).The result is despite a group turnover of $2.0 billion (FY2022 $2.2b). Chair of Alliance Group Murray Taggart, said the past 12 months had been extremely difficult for both the company and farmers.Chair of Alliance Group Murray Taggart. Photo: Supplied"This year’s loss is very disappointing, coming off last year’s record financial result."Taggart said like all New Zealand red meat processors, Alliance faced significant volatility as a result of geo-political tensions, labour constraints, inflationary pressures and weakening global markets."Fewer people dined in restaurants, and more people swapped higher priced red meat proteins such as lamb for less expensive white meats in their weekly grocery shop."China, the group's largest export market by value and volume, is also yet to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.“There were also high levels of inventory across all proteins in various markets, particularly lower cost Australian sheepmeat, which drove pricing down.”Global market prices for lamb fell almost 25 per cent in just two weeks in October 2022 and remained weak for the remainder of the financial year, he said.This had resulted in a significant decline in inventory values between October and December, Taggart said.Taggart said the Board and management have undertaken a comprehensive review of the business."We are taking steps to get the co-operative back on track to profitability.""While it is early days, initial trading this financial year is tracking to expectations," he said.Alliance Group Chief Executive, Willie Wiese said the co-operative was confident in its long-term strategy.“We have made changes across the business in response to the tough trading environment.""These conditions have highlighted significant opportunities for improvement.""Solutions, ingredients and materials remain a key focus and we have identified opportunities to create greater market value in 2024 and beyond.”Alliance Group continues to invest significantly in its plant network including the completion of a $16m warehouse automation project at the Lorneville plant in Southland and is introducing cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to measure eating quality, Wiese said.The Group also has a comprehensive decarbonisation plan for its plant network with projects currently underway set to achieve a 21 per cent emissions reduction during the current financial year, and a 56 per cent reduction once implemented, he said.

Southland District Council (SDC) Chief Executive Cameron McIntosh has admitted they got it wrong, following the release of an independent review into the 2022 SDC v Te Anau Downs Station Environment Court case.In 2022 the SDC sought a ruling in the Environment Court to prevent the further clearing of indigenous vegetation on Te Anau Downs Station.However landowner Peter Chartres maintained he had done nothing wrong.The Environment Court subsequently ruled in Chartres' favour and ordered the SDC to pay costs of $300,000.Chartres said after the ruling that he remained deeply disappointed in the heavy-handed approach taken by the council throughout this process and hoped the case would result in some internal review of practices and processes.An independent review, to better understand the circumstances leading to the court decision, was initated by the SDC and carried out by enviromental consultant John Hutching and resource management lawyer Ian Gordon.The review highlighted key issues and produced 12 recommendations, but concluded that “…there was no single action, fault or omission that caused the result. Rather a decade long concert of factors aligned in a way that was difficult to foresee, difficult to avoid and difficult to navigate”.It further noted that while performance was not always optimal, no single individual can be held to be most responsible and that there was nothing to suggest staff had an ‘‘over-zealous or idealistic approach’’.The 12 recommendations are:Prepare an enhanced Council compliance monitoring and enforcement manual.Develop a protocol for the making of a deliberate decision to implement a mid-stream peer review of Council long running and complex legal proceedings, such as those arising in the TADS case.Improve the efficiency of the way the Council manages the LGOIMA process.Ensure future delegation powers and procedures remain robust.Ensure there are clear lines-of-sight / overview / ‘escalation upwards’ opportunities for the decision-making path on such matters as those that arose at TADS and that full discussion of such matters occurs at meetings of the Executive Leadership Team.With the passing of the Natural and Built Environment Act, and the proposed formation of regional committees, consider the merit of negotiating with other Southland local authorities to enable the application of a regional approach to the implementation of compliance monitoring and enforcement actions, in relation to biodiversity.Provide better information to landowners, so they may more clearly understand those land use activities enabled or not enabled within the District Plan.Increase the budget for Council’s compliance monitoring and enforcement function, increase the number of experienced personnel operating in this area and consider options to enhance the Council’s capacity and capability to implement RMA requirements.Introduce better document management systems to enable more efficient preparation and review of proceedings such as those related to TADS.Establish a panel of legal advisors to readily enable external review processes and to ensure specialist legal work is undertaken by those best equipped to do it, with the added benefit of avoidance of potential conflicts of interest.Work with Environment Southland on a program to promote on-farm indigenous revegetation, including ‘the right plants and trees in the right place,’ and to lobby central government to include small indigenous woodlots, wetlands, riparian planting and emerging SNAs in the ETS scheme.Urgently review the biodiversity aspects of the operative Southland District Plan, to: a) Identify how it can give effect to the NPS for Indigenous Biodiversity 202314, including whether further work should be undertaken to identify and provide for Significant Natural Areas (SNAs); b) Clarify the relationship between existing uses, permitted activities and the definitions applying to these, with a focus on how these may affect the clearance of indigenous vegetation.In accepting the findings today (15 Nov) SDC Mayor Rob Scott said the review made it clear what needed to be done and that the council had a big job ahead of it."We need to do better for our community and we’re determined to make the necessary changes.""We are taking the review’s findings very seriously.""Staff have been tasked with preparing a plan to deliver on all 12 recommendations and Council will be monitoring progress to ensure our regulatory and planning services meet the needs of the community.""I’m confident the team we have in place can do what’s necessary," Scott said.“A top priority is a review of key sections of our District Plan.""This is a significant and important job that will take some time to complete and is critical to our approach to compliance with the Resource Management Act.""We know we are not the only council around the country dealing with these issues and we’ll seek to involve others in the process,” Scott said.SDC chief executive Cameron McIntosh accepted the council should have done better in its approach to the Environment Court proceedings. “We got it wrong and we know the local community is disappointed in the process.""We also know there’s a lot of work ahead and we’ll need resourcing to bring our regulatory services up to par.""This won’t happen overnight, but we know the areas we need to prioritise and we’re putting in place a detailed plan to deliver for our community."“The fact the court proceedings ended the way they did indicates that we are significantly under-resourced in this area.""It’s not simply a case of people ‘doing a better job’, it’s about having the right resource, sufficient experience, good processes and strong leadership in place.""Creating the implementation plan and resource, our response is an investment in our community and in meeting the expectations of our residents,” McIntosh said.CLICK HERE to read the full independent report.

Westpac bank has set a target for cutting the emissions of the farms it lends to.By 2030, farms it has loaned money to will need to have 9 percent lower emissions per kilo of meat for sheep and beef, and 10 percent lower per kilo of milk for dairy.That is off a 2021 baseline.The bank has used the same intensity-style target Fonterra was criticised for using last week - but defended the choice not to set an outright reduction goal, saying it wanted to work with farmers on improving practices.Last year, a UN expert panel recommended against using only intensity-based targets when companies make climate promises.However the Science-based Targets Initiative (an international accreditation body) allows food growers to use targets per kilo of food.The top climate science body, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), says climate action should not compromise food production, but also says diets in wealthy countries will need to move towards a higher share of plant protein and only moderate amounts of animal products (especially beef) to curb the acceleration of climate-fuelled disasters.Although Fonterra's target seems much stronger than Westpac's, at 30 percent by 2030, it appears to count various savings that Westpac's does not, for example stopping the clearing of trees, which had already stopped. Westpac is focussed on farm management, according to a report by the bank's parent company.According to Stats NZ, dairy cattle numbers have fallen 6 percent since 2017, while sheep fell 8 percent. Beef numbers were up 8 percent over the same period, but from a lower base than either sheep or dairy animals.Milk production has also been falling, DairyNZ figures show. If those trends continue, a reduction in emissions per kilo of food produced would result in an overall drop in absolute emissions of greater than the 9-10 percent target.Westpac, like other New Zealand lenders, is a member of the Net Zero Banking Alliance, via its Australian parent company.Joining the alliance means agreeing to get the emissions of the whole businesses - including the impact of the companies banks lend to - to a level compatible with keeping global heating to 1.5C.BNZ has already set a target of cutting by 11 percent the climate impact-per-kilo of food produced by its farmer customers, by 2030.ASB and ANZ's parent banks have also signed up to the alliance, and will need to produce targets in the next couple of years.Eloise Gibson, Climate Change CorrespondentReproduced with permission

With a majority of the votes, the pūteketeke Australasian crested grebe has been crowned Bird of the Century.There was fierce competition for the title, the even saw TAHI and RNZ presenter Evie Orpe become embroiled in an ornithological stoush with US talkshow host John Oliver.Oliver's campaign saw ads in Paris, Mumbai, Tokyo and London, and flying a banner over Ipanema beach in Brazil. As if coverage on his own show Last Week Tonight wasn't enough, he even made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in full-on grebe garb.His campaign led to the system crashing.Oliver's pick? The winning bird, the pūteketeke."Pūteketeke began as an outside contender for Bird of the Century but was catapulted to the top spot thanks to its unique looks, adorable parenting style, and propensity for puking," Forest and Bird chief executive Nicola Toki said."We're not surprised these charming characteristics caught the eye of an influential bird enthusiast with a massive following.""John Oliver's wish for a landslide victory did come true," Forest and Bird's Ellen Rykers told Morning Report.It could only be a good thing that Oliver has ignited huge conversation about our native birds, Rykers said.She said they needed to get their ducks in a row before the second place winner could be announced.New Zealanders were keen to defend their competition and flocked to vote. There was a record 350,000+ verified votes from 195 countries this year, surpassing the previous record of 56,733 verified votes.Forty-five of this year's verifed votes were under the name John Oliver, with just one vote made for the fairy tern, the rest unsurprisingly were for the pūteketeke.Thousands of fraudulent votes were discounted. One person even voted 40,000 times for the tawaki piki toka eastern rockhopper penguin.A shot from US comedian John Oliver's segment on New Zealand's Bird of the Year.A shot from US comedian John Oliver's segment on New Zealand's Bird of the Year on 5 November 2023. Photo: ScreengrabWith its burnt orange mullet, striking plumage and propensity for puking, the pūteketeke is clasified as 'nationally vulnerable'. There are thought to be fewer than 1000 of them in Aotearoa, up from just 200 in the 1980s.Their recovery is in part thanks to efforts like the Lake Wānaka Grebe Project, after Forest and Bird member John Darby built a floating nesting platform ten years ago.More than 80 percent of native birds are on the threatened species list."Pending cuts to the Department of Conservation, the agency tasked with protecting these taonga under threat, are a huge worry. The world is watching us and how we look after our birds," Toki said.Reproduced with permissionThe top ten birds of the century were:Pūteketeke Australasian crested grebe: 290,374 votesNorth Island brown kiwi: 12,904 votesKea: 12,060 votesKākāpō: 10,889 votesPīwakawaka Fantail: 7,857 votesTawaki piki toka Eastern rockhopper penguin: 6,763 votesKarure | Kakaruia Black robin: 6,753 votesHuia: 6,467 votesTūī: 6,457 votesTakahē: 6,292 votes

-The finish line is in sight and we are sprinting towards it with spirited enthusiasm.As always Term 4, is fully packed with teaching and learning programmes, as well as key competencies and school values.This Term these are exercised within a range of Education Outside The Classroom activities too, including Year 7&8 Have A Go, Mitre 10 Tough Kids, 4x4 Adventure Race/Multi Sport Southland,Science Roadshow, Gemstone Beach, Te Hikoi Aparima/Riverton, Borland Lodge Year 5&6 Camp, Visual Arts with Wayne Edgerton, Swimming with Johnston Waters and in our day to day collaborations with one another.Currently classes are focused on Key Learning Areas where our tamariki are looking to consolidate learning and continue to build their understanding, and knowledge in Numeracy and Literacyintegrated across NZ Curriculum.We have such focused tamariki who are working hard to progress and achieve their learning goals..A few projects are nearing completion and we are excited to have these property developments adding value to our place.The administration block has transformed an extension to include an accessible bathroom/first aid space/staff toilet, all of which are needed to provide for our students and staff.Our pool space is being made into a multi-purpose building so we have an area for whole school gatherings as well as for PMP, wet day PE, perhaps even gymnastics or drama.A few rolls of tiger turf are awaiting installation on our tennis court.We are thankful to our Home and School Committee for fundraising every year to support our school and it is wonderful to know their ongoing mahi over considerable time, has contributed to the MPB.Additionally we are incredibly well supported with parents including Nic & Rebecca who have sourced support for our Tiger Turf.All of these features will be such an asset to our school community.Our students are incredibly excited to have access to these areas too, and we can’t wait to have an opening ceremony for the above, fingers crossed before the end of the year.We return to Carols in the Caves, where each class shares their Christmas Carol as well as the whole school singing some new and some familiar Christmas Songs.It is unique to Hauroko Valley Primary to have a cave subtly set up with tea light candles, while our students sing for family and friends.Each time we hold our Carols in the Caves we look to showcase the talents of our tamariki.This year we can’t wait for our drummers to share their talents, while our skilled highland dancers will also feature, thanks to the partnership we have with our friends and family of Hauroko Valley Primary.Again we farewell our Year 8 leavers as they head into their next stage of school life.You have all continued to learn and grow in your time at Hauroko Valley Primary School.We are proud of your achievements in academic, sporting, cultural pursuits and especially in living our School Values, and using Key Competencies to navigate the world.Remember “Always Our Best/Tonu tō tatou pai”, and as Dr Seuss quotes “You’re off to great places, today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so …get on your way”.Ngā mihi mō ngā tau kei mua i te aroaro/Good luck for the future, Sierra, Lily, Hugo, George, Cormac, Daniel, Elly, Katie and Sophie.Mā te wā.On behalf of HVP School Staff & Students,Julia WaikatoHauroko Valley Primary School proudly supported by Kings Rural

Southland historian, Lloyd Esler, has added another volume to his body of work with the recently published book West to the Waiau.West of the Waiau is Southland historian Lloyd Esler's latest book. Photo: SuppliedIllustrated with hundreds of photos, maps and documents, the 266-page book took three years to complete and tells the story of the people, places and plants of the greater Waiau catchment area and as far west as Puysegur Point.The narrative starts in pre-human times and conclude with the building of the Manapouri power station in the late 1960s.Essler has been recording Southland’s history for 25 years and considers his eleventh book, West to the Waiau, to be his best work so far.“I had a lot of fun researching and writing it. It was a new territory for me, as not much has been written about that part of New Zealand. Most of the information in the book comes from Papers Past,” Esler says.A botanist by profession, Essler studied botany at Otago University under Doctor Alan Mark (now Emeritus Professor).He worked at Otago Museum between 1978 and 1986, before becoming a natural history teacher at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, where he was employed from 1991 to 2001. “I got interested in history while working at the Otago Museum and later at the Southland Museum,” he said. His writing career started in 1999 with the book Southland Shells. In 2002 he began writing the About the South history column at The Southland Times. April this year marked his 1000th weekly column.Out of the 11 books and booklets under his belt, all but one (Jack the Whaleboy) were self-published by Esler, and all were printed by Craigs Design and Print in Invercargill.Esler prefers to have full control of the contents of each of his publications, saying that “With a professional publisher you lose control over what the final product would be.”He can cope with the disadvantages of self-publishing, including high initial outlay and handling his own distribution, but finds the emotional side of a book completion hard.“There’s a bit of a post-natal depression after publishing a book,” he says.He combats this by starting a new book.In fact, he has five books on the go at the moment.His biography of the Tuatapere doctor Eric Elder is due to be published in December this year.Another book, about the history of Bluff, is also nearing completion.West to the Waiau can be bought by contacting Lloyd Esler on 021 176 6580.

63-year-old Stewart Willis was last believed to be at his home address on Colombo Street, Christchurch, early August and has been missing since then.Police have conducted a number of enquiries in Christchurch, however, have not yet located Stewart.Stewart’s last location has been identified as near Mt Prospect on Kakapo Road, Te Anau, on 26 October.Stewart is a very quiet man and lives a very solitary life, but Police and his family have concerns for his welfare and want to know he is safe.Police do not know where Stewart is, but we believe he could still be in the area near Te Anau.If you have seen Stewart or have any information which may assist Police in locating him please contact Police on 105 or online via https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 using ‘update report’ please reference file number: 230807/7610.

Jo Hutton has been appointed today (10 Nov) as General Manager of ILT Stadium Southland.She replaces Nigel Skelt, who abruptly resigned in April 2023 after 24 years, citing medical and personal reasons.However it was later revealed that Skelt had been the subject of an employee complaint that had resulted in a confidential settlement.Making the announcement today (10 Nov), Stadium Southland Limited (SSL) Interim Chair, Hayden Rankin, said the board had been pleased with both the calibre and number of applicants, but that Hutton had really stood out for her leadership, management and strategic thinking skills.“We are looking forward to seeing the results of these in due course,” he said.Rankin also paid tribute to Operations Manager and Interim General Manager Ryan Sycamore for both stepping up and his leadership.Hutton said she loved the stadium and have often spoken about how fortunate it was to have such an incredible and versatile world class facility in Southland."It’s fantastic how it can host top-level sporting events, shows and community festivals as well as being a hub for many recreational activities that promote wellbeing across our community.”“I already have plans in mind to take the stadium into the future but [also] to lead a business and a team well."“I already feel that there is a vibrant team culture at the stadium so I will be working to enhance that by ensuring that our people feel valued and supported, right from day one.”Hutton will officially start in the new position on 8 January 2024, and plans to spend her first days getting to know the team, meeting with key stakeholders and funders, and learning about the inner workings of the business.

Tokanui School proudly supported by Tokanui Tavern

Gore's potentially costly crab-apple tree stand-off has ended with a unanimous vote to plant them in the main street, but not before previous council clashes also got an airing.Five holes have sat empty since a petition went to the Gore District Council last month calling for car parks instead of trees.Early last month, following the petition being presented, the council agreed to gauge public opinion.But it soon learned the holes would cost $300 a day for daily audits and safety barriers, and result in the loss of car parks due to the barriers.It was costing council $300 a day to leave the crab apples unplanted. Photo: RNZ/Carol StilesCouncillors made the call to plant the trees and then survey residents, however, a procedural error meant that resolution was legally tenuous.The council received a letter calling to its attention that the notice of motion by Councillor Glenys Dickson did not have the requisite signatures from one-third of the council, according to the council's standing orders.Petition organiser Peter Woods called for a halt to any plans to plant the trees due to the faulty council decision and this afternoon presented further signatures to an emergency meeting of the council.Fresh from a recent trip abroad, mayor Ben Bell chaired the meeting.File photo: Keith Hovell, centre, at a Gore District Council meeting. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnonHis deputy, Keith Hovell, had been acting mayor when the erroneous motion passed."Considering the fact that the trees have already been bought and we are ready to go, I have no real issue with the recommendation," Bell said."It's going to cost us more money to keep those holes dug. If we undertake the survey, while it will be a painful exercise to remove the trees, ultimately if that's what the community wants once that survey is done, we can do that. It won't cost much more than we've already spent."However, Bell wanted to canvas how the mistake was made in the first place.Councillor Dickson said she was not aware she needed a third of councillors to sign her notice of motion and apologised for the mistake.Bell then asked Hovell if he also was unaware of the rules of the standing orders and why he did not refuse the notice of motion."As the mayor will appreciate, standing orders is a complicated document," Hovell said."The way standing orders is worded are open to interpretation and that could've been cured by a report coming with the notice of motion or the five signatures. I was satisfied on the day that adequate attention had been given to the provision to enable it to proceed."We don't always get things right procedurally at councils and we acknowledge that. The meeting today is to ensure the correct procedure has been followed. The outcome at the end of the day if this motion is passed is exactly the same, and I am comfortable with that."Bell said he did not want to go through such an error again."We have had notices of motion in the past - both for the removal of the deputy mayor and for pulling me off committees."Both of those did have all the signatures they needed. So I just wanted to make sure that we do follow procedure."Councillor Richard McPhail then attempted to raise a point of order: "I don't think we're discussing those today, we are discussing the tree issue and both councillors have explained their position. I think we should be leaving it as that. With all due respect, your Worship"."Not quite a point of order, but point taken. I was just showing we have had notices of motion before that have followed procedure," Bell responded.Reproduced with permission

Fiordland's Homer Tunnel has now had it's 70-year old avalanche shelter demolished, in preparation for a new 45-metre avalanche and rockfall shelter to be built on its eastern side.An artist's impression of the new eastern entrance to the Homer Tunnel. Photo: NZTAThe Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency project is part of a $29 million Government funded upgrade started in 2021, to bring the Milford Road infrastructure up to modern safety standards after a vehicle fire in the tunnel in 2019.Hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through the Homer Tunnel each year, via SH94 (Milford Road), on their way to Piopiotahi Milford Sound from the tourist towns of Te Anau and Queenstown.The route is also an important access point for commercial fishing businesses.Improvements completed so far have included upgrades to the tunnel's power, lighting, public address and cabling systems, as well as installing new in-tunnel vehicle detectors and safety barriers.Work on the new shelter, including the construction and transportation of 150 re-cast concrete modules, is expected to take place from November in order to avoid the alpine regions most extreme weather conditions.The shelters completion date is expected to be May 2024.

The tourism industry has launched its strategy to address underfunding, grow its workforce and become net carbon zero.The plan outlines its ambitions about the future of tourism in Aotearoa from now until 2050 with 10 key steps to achieve them, and was launched at Tourism Summit Aotearoa in Wellington on Tuesday morning.It includes plans to reset how tourism is managed and funded, embrace Māori culture and champion biodiversity.Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram said they needed to consider the different funding options because the current model was not working."The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment suggested a departure tax. There's bed taxes. There's potential differential charging on the conservation estate."All of these things need to be considered together and planned for together so that we can make sure that we are funding appropriately and we're designing the kind of tourism that we want."This was a transformation plan that relied on businesses, government and industry to work together, she said."Each tourism business, regardless of size, has a role to play including embracing Te Whakarae Māori, living the principles of Tiaki, and championing sustainability to work towards a net carbon zero future."It's this collective commitment that makes a difference to all New Zealanders and will propel tourism forward."Ingram said it was about balanced growth."New Zealand's tourism industry is considering how global and local forces will push and pull the industry. We must prepare for the future by leaning in, and this means having a great plan."The ten actions include creating a National Tourism Policy Statement to clearly define the structures, roles and responsibilities within the industry, addressing industry funding by investigating more sustainable funding options, using data, research and industry so it can make informed decisions, embracing Māori culture, improving how the Department of Conservation and the industry work together, and ensuring Tiaki is promoted and guides the industry.Reproduced with permission

An Invercargill woman is on a mission to become the first blind wahine toa to cycle the length of Aotearoa.Hannah Pascoe came seventh in the tandem women's road race at the Para Cycling Road World Cup in May.She told First Up that as she was moving towards retirement, she wanted to fundraise for future blind athletes and chose to cycle the length of New Zealand "because I'm a nutter"."I've always liked doing things that challenge me and I'm looking to do something big, then I can settle down after it."Pascoe was born with congenital glaucoma, and was totally blind by the time she turned 25."When I was going from having some sight to nothing at all, I got a cloud of yellow and eventually it got quite colourful."Her ophthalmologist told her at the time, "People in the Sixties would have paid great money to see that.""Even though I'm not seeing absolutely anything, my brain is still registering colour. So I don't see day, I don't see night - I just see a whole lot of colours, depending on my mood. It's colourful all the time."Pascoe has run marathons in addition to elite cycling."Before I lost my sight, I was always trying to be fit. When I was losing my sight, doing my exercise and going to the gym was a way of coping with that loss."I was running so much on the treadmill, that five minutes became 10, and before I knew it I was running an hour." She worked her way up from half marathons to the New York Marathon and "the bug really caught from there".Soon she turned to competitive cycling, and found her groove in that sport."I love the sound of the wind, especially when you're going fast. That feeling of the air around you, and the sun on your face. When you're in a bunch that's quite cool too because you're just going at speed and chatting away to people."Pascoe will start her cross-country cycle at Cape Reinga on 8 November, and is accompanied by her cousin Kara Williamson, who will be her pilot."Kara is the one who got me into competitive cycling. We had done Challenge Wanaka, then she got the idea that she would do a charity ride with me."From there, Pascoe moved to the velodrome and was coached by former pilot Laura Thompson MNZM, who is also based in Invercargill.After this year's Para Cycling Road World Cup, Pascoe went to Williamson and suggested they ride the length of Aotearoa. "She said, 'Yeah let's do it!' "The duo work together well and were not daunted by the long trip, she said. "Kara is a talker, but even she has said there will be times when she runs out of chat. We'll have music, and hopefully people will join us along the way so we'll have them to talk to."The ride is designed to raise funds for future blind and low vision cyclists who want to chase their dreams in the sport, she said."Over the last couple of years, training and high performance as a blind athlete and particularly in cycling, it's been super-tough."Because I'm coming out of it and retiring, I don't want it to be so tough for other blind cyclists to come along."I want to make a difference and do everything I can to help them, and this is my small way of giving back, as well as getting to do something cool."Reproduced with permission

Award-winning history curator Eloise Wallace has been appointed Te Unua Museum of Southland's new director by the Invercargill City Council (ICC).An artist's impression of Te Unua Museum of Southland. Photo: SuppliedTe Unua Museum of Southland is part of ICC’s Project 1225, which will see the creation of three key cultural facilities in Invercargill.The project also includes the construction of a new specialist tuatara enclosure at the animal reserve within the award-winning Queens Park, and a museum collection storage facility at Tisbury.ICC Chief Executive Michael Day said Wallace had an exceptional reputation within the museum sector and the council was delighted to welcome her on board.He said Wallace's background and skills would ensure the vision to create an industry-leading museum was achieved.Wallace said she had been following the project from afar and had been really drawn to the aspirational community vision for what a museum could and should be in Southland.“Having spent most of my career working in regional New Zealand, and knowing the innovation, creativity, and ‘can-do’ attitude that comes with living and working in the regions, I wasn’t surprised that Southlanders had a big, bold vision for their new museum.""I’m looking forward to bringing my experience and skills to this challenge, but more importantly becoming part of the community, and working together to create a new facility that celebrates and shares the stories of Southland – past, present, and future – in a unique and inspiring way."“The opportunity to develop a new museum doesn’t come along every day, so it’s a real privilege to be part of the team taking on the challenge of creating an innovative, world-class museum experience in Invercargill – for the people of Southland, and for visitors from all over the world,” Wallace said.Wallace was born in Auckland, and grew up in Tauwhare, in rural Waikato.She has worked in the museum and heritage sector for more than two decades – both throughout New Zealand, and at the renowned Imperial War Museum London.For more than eight years, she has been Director of Tairāwhiti Museum & Art Gallery, in Gisborne.She has also served as Co-Chair of Museums Aotearoa, New Zealand’s independent national body for museums and galleries, since 2021, and also serves as a trustee of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Christchurch.Wallace has also been Deputy Chair of Heritage Tairāwhiti, an organisation that supports the protection and recognition of historic places, and their stories, within the Tairāwhiti district and has been extensively involved within other organisations across the arts, heritage, culture, tourism, and education sectors in both Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay.“My family and I are really looking forward to making the move from out east to down south, becoming part of the community, and exploring all Southland has to offer,” Wallace said.Wallace officially takes up her position early in the new year, but hoped to visit Invercargill and connect with the wider team prior to Christmas.

Invercargill's Night Food Market is set to return to central Invercargill on Friday night (10 Nov).Organisers Great South and the Invercargill City Council are promising even more food stalls, as well as live musical entertainment including the Southern Sou'NZ Barbershop Chorus and the SIT School of Music and Audio Production.The evening runs from 6.30 to 8.30pm on Don Street.

 Welcome back to Wallacetown School, Term 4 2023The 23rd of August, we were on stage at Polyfest.A big thank you to Whaea Nish in her work behind the scenes in getting us ready for Polyfest and for the opportunity of Myla, Emily, Pippa and Lotti being able to join her on Thursday and Friday volunteering and being able to give back.Thank you to our fundraising group that cover the cost of the buses on the day, this is a considerable cost and we are grateful for your support.You can watch our performance on our school website. At the end of August, we welcomed another new entrant into room 2 – welcome to Kobe.Kobe joins his big brother and Sister here at Wallacetown school. Daffodil Day—another great reason to dress up for a great cause.Our families made very generous donations, and we raised $177.30 for the Cancer Society.   At the start of term 4 we had 4 new students start !Howie joined room 4 and his brother Alby joined room 3  In Room 2 we also had 2 new entrants.Welcome to Trixie and Kruz.We hope everyone enjoys their time here at Wallacetown school. The first week back of term 4, we had a ‘bring your tea to school’ night! ]This was a great chance to catch-up, meet some of our new families and a really nice way to end the first week of term.Thank you to everyone that left some feedback for us on our strategic questions/posters up in Room 1.This is great to have and will be helpful as we sit down in the coming weeks to map out our strategic goals and curriculum aims moving forward.On Monday 16th October our pool officially opened for the 2023/2024 season.Keys for this season are $80.00.Keys are available for school families and the wider Wallacetown Community, these are available from Annie at the office.Annie is in the office 8:30-12:30pm Monday to Friday. We are hoping our new heat pump will all be ready to be installed at the beginning of November, this does mean that we will close the pool for 2-3 days while this is done.An email will be sent out to all keyholders as well as updates via our Facebook page.And while you are at the pool, check out our Garden – there has been a lot of hard work by our gardeners in getting the beds ready, and planting veggies!!On the 19th October we took part in Shake Out Day.This was a good opportunity to practice our earthquake drill and what to do and where to meet.We also had John Parsons also with us on that day, and he spent time with each class sharing how students can keep themselves safe online and once again some great messaging around devices, playing games online and holding back of sharing personal information online.Our seed fundraiser with Daisy Maple is well underway!The best bit about this fundraiser is we can do ‘rolling orders’ so there is no set return date - so when families have some orders, they can just send in the sheet in and we pass these on!The best bit about rolling orders is no one misses out because they’ve missed a cut off date!At the start of week 3 We have welcomed another 2 students This now brings our role to 84!! Clare started in Room 2 Ashtyn joined Room 3.Friday the 27th October was World Teachers Day.We celebrated our teachers and the amazing mahi they are doing in their classrooms at Wallacetown School.We thanked them all for everything they do both in and out of the classroom.( and had a Yummy morning tea for them!)As we are going to press, planning is underway for our School Pet Day.This will be held Wednesday 29th November.We are looking forward to seeing who the children bring along, or if they don’t have a pet who would enjoy pet day, then there are plenty of other activities that they can do!Thank you everyone for Supporting our School, Keep in touch with us on our Facebook page, or on our Website, and we will see you all in 2024!Wallacetown School proudly supported by Pypers Produce   

Three Southlanders and a Cantabrian, members of the Fiordland Endurance and Adventure Racing (FEAR) Society Youth team, have returned exhausted but triumphant after coming 9th out of 109 teams from 32 countries competing in the 2023 Adventure Racing World Championships. The gruelling 840km championship race was held over nine days (19-28 October) in South Africa, and combined mountain biking with trail running, tracking, navigation and river kayaking.Forty two degree temperatures, battering storms and drenching rain forced competitors to endure heat stroke, diarrhoea, nausea, blisters and extreme sleep deprivation.Of the 109 teams that started the race, only 45 completed it.Fynn Mitchell plotting points after Stage 1. Photo: Keegan Magness - @chester_capturesFEAR Youth team members Dean Stewart (20) of Wyndham, Fynn Mitchell (18) of Lumsden, Josh Pearson (20) of Te Anau, and Molly Spark (20) of Rangiora, were the youngest team ever to compete in the champships. Their time of 150 hours, 32 minutes (6.5 days), was just 32 hours behind race winners Swedish Armed Forces Adventure team, who completed the race in 118 hours (5 days).Despite their young age, most of FEAR Youth members are not new to international competition at their chosen field. Fynn Mitchell, a year 13 Southland Boys’ High School student, ran the Dusky Track at 14, and has completed Godzone twice - first in 2022 as a 16 year old (and the youngest competitor in the race history), then again in February 2023 when his team finished seventh.In August Fynn was invited to join the United States team Bend Racing, to compete in the 2023 Nordic Islands Adventure Race in the Faroe Islands. His team finished third-equal.FEAR Touth team on Stage 6. Photo: Keegan Magness - @chester_capturesDean Stewart’s endurance racing “career” started in January 2021 with participation in his first multi-day adventure race - the Wilderness Traverse of Fiordland organised by the FEAR Society. Two years later the young Southland shepherd entered the Revenant Ultra Adventure Run, a 200km race, on Welcome Rock Station near Garston in Southland.A Japanese film crew filming the race was so impressed with Dean’s performance, that they invited him to Japan to participate in the Tamba 100, a two-day, 100-mile (160km) race, held in June 2023.On his return to New Zealand Dean took on a shepherd’s job at Mt Prospect Station in Te Anau, so he could train with the FEAR Youth team in preparation for this year's Adventure Racing World Championships.Former Fiordland College head student Josh Pearson has been a member of FEAR Youth for 3 years and in January 2021 he participated in his first multi-day adventure race - the Wilderness Traverse of Fiordland, alongside his teammate Dean Stewart and his twin-brother Zac.He was the only team member with no prior experience of competing internationally.FEAR Youth at the Stage 3 abseil. Photo: Keegan Magness - @chester_capturesCantabrian, Molly Spark, was introduced to endurance racing at a very young age by her father.She first entered the Coast to Coast as a 16-year-old, running over Goat Pass.This year, she has competed in three big multinational events.She ran the Coast to Coast in January in the tandem mixed category with Australian, Andrew Reid, which they won.Two weeks later, she competed against the world’s best in the Godzone adventure race in a team which included fellow FEAR Youth teammate Fynn Mitchell.FEAR Youth head out on their mountain bike leg. Photo: Keegan Magness - @chester_capturesSpark said she first met her Southland FEAR Youth teammates, as a Year 12, when she was competing in an Adventure team race in Cromwell."My team came first. The boys from Southland came second," Spark said."Later when they were signing up for the Godzone, they needed a girl, so they asked me to join them.""They rocked up at my place and we went to Nelson for the WTF (Wilderness Traverse Fiordland) event."" And we’ve raced together ever since.”FEAR Youth team members, surrounded by fellow New Zealanders at the completion of the 2023 World Championships. Photo: Keegan Magness - @chester_capturesFEAR Society president, and Youth team coach and mentor Andy Magness, said this year's World Championships were the longest race in ten years."It was [also] the team’s first unsupported race, meaning that contact with the support crew was limited.""The team had no help with gear changes or obtaining food. They had to do it all by themselves," he said.Magness said it was the first time the young competitors had been to Africia and the temperature was much hotter than they had anticipated."The temperature on day one was above 40 degrees Celsius and it was quite humid.""Initially they were going fast and were in the lead."Photo: Keegan Magness - @chester_captures"A couple of team members got heat stroke.""Molly had been drinking a lot of water and washed all her electrolytes out of her body.""The next day she felt so sick, she couldn’t eat anything. Her legs swelled up.""We gave her some salt tablets and some electrolytes, and that helped.""Everybody suffered. Fynn and Dean had diarrhoea,” he said.“They are pretty tough, but nothing prepared them for these temperatures.""I thought they were going to pull out of the race, but they slowed down and let Molly set the pace. From then on she was getting stronger and stronger.”“The first and the last stage of the race was running on sand dunes.""Navigation on sand dunes was very hard, as was running on sand with wind sand-blasting the body.""On the second day a storm rolled in with heavy rain.""The team got to sleep on the bank of the river, while the storm was raging, they shivered under their foil blankets.”“After the nineth stage they were completely broken.""With one stage to go they were falling to pieces.""Josh had lacerations on his feet. They were moving very slowly.""Molly was the one that kept them going. She’s very driven.”Magness said he was very proud of the FEAR Youth achievement.“It’s to their credit that even though they were the youngest team, they were able to overcome all those challenges and finish in the top ten teams.”A week after they completed the race the team members are slowly recovering from their exertions, although it will take time to fully heal their bodies. They are catching up on sleep and eating good food. Asked if she ever has doubts or wonders why she’s putting her body under so much stress, Spark said “I love the sport so much that I never doubt myself.""If you like what you do, you make time for it.""It’s all about discipline and balance.”

Auckland-based Dan Gardner has become the first Englishman since 1957 to win the SBS Bank Tour of Southland.Gardner finished eighth in this morning’s 13km individual time trial to see his lead cut to just 15sec heading into the final 77km stage from Winton to Invercargill, but was safely shepherded home by his young PRV-Pista Corsa teammates this afternoon.Gardner with his PRV-Pista Corsa teammates. Photo: Studio JubbNew Zealand endurance rider Nick Kergozou (Transport Engineering Southland-Deep South) won the final sprint in Gala St for his first ever stage win on his home tour, with Gardner winning overall by 15sec from Joe Cooper (Central Benchmakers-Willbike) and 45sec from Boris Clark (Quality Foods Southland).“We had to race our absolute hearts out as a team, and even in the time trial it came down to the small details where we were busy in the bike shop talking to PRV our sponsor and getting handlebars sent in so we could pull every trick out of the book,” Gardner said.“In the end it just came down to grit. It was a real Southland day out there and I’m so happy to pull it off.”For the first time this week some of the cross winds the Southland tour is famous for were on offer, stretching the peloton to the limit as they tried to crack Gardner’s advantage over the final furious blast into Invercargill.“We didn’t really believe it was going to happen until the last pedal stroke. I’m so happy and I’m proud and I’m thankful to my teammates, the team managers and all my friends and family.”Gardner moved to New Zealand two years ago to follow his Kiwi girlfriend and former cyclist Kate Wightman, who is currently walking the Te Araroa Trail to raise funds and awareness for gynaecological cancer. Nick Kegozou winning the final sprint into Invercargill during stage eight of the 2023 SBS Bank Tour of Southland. Photo: Studio JubbBefore joining her on the trail next week, Gardner will be able to reflect on a race where he won the Bluff Hill stage for the second time in as many years and finished third on the Remarkables climb to set up his overall victory.“I just love that (Bluff) climb. I have a real affinity for that final corner. This whole race just brings out the best in me, it’s a great platform to perform and just race your heart out and I’m just happy to be here.”Gardner paid credit to the young riders from Auckland and Cambridge - Ed Pawson, Joel Douglas, Kyle Aitken, Matt Davis and Maui Morrison - who helped get him to the line.“I was working in a bike shop a few years ago when Tim, the owner of PRV came in, and I was fixing a couple of punctures and winding down my cycling. Tim had the idea of putting me on as a kind of mentor for these young guys and that’s completely turned on its head because they have been helping me out,” Gardner, who followed in the tyre tracks of 1957 winner Tom Tindale as English winners of the Southland tour.“I’ve followed Southland for years now, even back in the UK before I had a Kiwi girlfriend and knew about this race. It’s got such a wide reach worldwide - I never thought I’d get my name on this trophy, but I’m so, so happy.”Ollie Jones (PowerNet) won the Most Combative jersey on the final stage, with Kergozou picking his third Sprint Ace victory in Southland and Max Campbell (C Brown Builders-Olphert Contracting) the King of the Mountains jersey.Camden Feint (Oxford Edge) was the leading under 23 rider, and Cooper was first placed over 35 rider, with Quality Foods Southland winning the Teams Classification.

Testing has detected E. coli in the Eastern Bush water scheme, resulting in an urgent boil water notice being issued by the Southland District Council.Consumers on the Eastern Bush water scheme should boil their drinking water until further notice.Contractors are now investigating the cause.SDC advise the boil water notice may stay in place for three to four days.E.coli can be contracted from contaminated water or food, unpasteurised milk or infected animals or faeces.This can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea and a mild fever.While most people who are exposed to the bacteria will recover within 5-7 days, symptoms can be severe in children, the elderly and people with reduced immunity.